


Fine Line

by tallglassofhuman



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Rewrite, F/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Romance, a burn so fast you get charred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:22:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21858997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tallglassofhuman/pseuds/tallglassofhuman
Summary: Rey was able to save Ben at the last second. Now they have to find their way in the galaxy together while discovering more about each other and themselves.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	1. Saving Redemption

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Perry_Downing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perry_Downing/gifts).



> This writing is dedicated to Perry Downing, she is a fantastic author of many reylo stories and is simply the kindest person I've met online. I have read so many star wars fanfictions, but hers will always stand out to me as the best of the best. Her first reylo fanfic is what pushed me into being a die hard star wars fan and ultimate reylo shipper. So thank you Perry, and here's to you.

Numb. She was numb. What was this feeling? It was as if she was in a void between life and the afterlife, devoid of all real thought and feeling. Soon she realized that was where she was. She had beat Palpatine, but at what cost? No, she did what had to be done. She saved the galaxy, that was her plan, so why was she not at peace?

" _Rey_ ," she looked around but saw nothing and no one, where was she? _"Don't worry, sweetheart; you're going to be okay._ " She knew that voice, but from where? "Who's there?" She called out; a sweet laugh ruminated all around her.

" _He's coming. Don't worry, Rey. It will be alright._ " Before she understood what was happening, it was bright all around her.

"Wait!" She yelled, "Who are you?" There was no answer. Suddenly she felt very warm, as if her blood was being kissed by the sun. There was a hand on her belly; it was warm and large, almost covering her entire abdomen. She was able to see through her eyes again. She blinked, nearly in a daze for just a moment. In an instant, she could see someone holding her. It was him, Ben.

She sat up in a flash, happiness beginning to fill her soul. He saved her.

He was looking at her with such emotion in his eyes; all she could feel was love and gratitude for him. "Ben," she whispered, she touched his cheek, almost as if to see if he was indeed there. Her eyes flickered across his face, trying to understand how he saved her from certain death. He gave her a small smile, almost as if he was saying to himself, "She's okay."

Before she could fathom their reality, she pressed her lips to his. She felt his arms wrap around her, his surprise radiating around them. His hand pressed against her neck, almost as if to keep her there. It was a simple kiss, sweet all the same, for at that moment neither of them knew what more there could be to a kiss. She pulled away, a smile gracing her lips as she gazed at him. She continued caressing his face when suddenly Ben smiled the most joyous smile she had ever seen.

It was only for a moment before suddenly Ben's face went slack. Her brows furrowed, what was wrong? Suddenly he went limp, and her panic grew. She grasped the back of his neck as he went down, protecting his head from the stone floor. For a moment she was startled, what was wrong with him? Until she realized, he gave her his life force. She felt herself gasp, panic beginning to bubble inside her.

"Ben?" She whispered, her fear rising, her breaths became shaky, and tears began to well in her eyes. "Ben?!" She started yelling, almost as if he would wake up if she shouted loud enough. He was leaving her, and she did not want to be alone again. "No, no, no, please, Ben, no!" She sobbed, what could she do?

She had to heal him, she had to give him back some of his life force, that was the only way. She placed her hands over his heart, palms splayed against his still chest. "Please, please, please, Ben, stay with me. Don't leave me." She chanted, she began to feel the force coursing through her veins, growing stronger with each moment that passed.

His force signature began fading; it wasn't working! Why wasn't it working?! "No!" She cried, she centered all of her strength on him, refusing to back down even as she felt herself go weak. She bent down, placing her lips to his ear and whispered, "Don't go, Ben, stay with me, be with me. Be with me, Ben!"

Feeling the exhaustion begin to set in, she screamed towards the ceiling, pouring nearly all of her strength into Ben. The rubble around them was lifted off the ground by the force of her power. Rocks began flying through the air, hitting the walls surrounding them but never hitting Ben or Rey.

The fatigue soon became to be too much; she collapsed next to Ben, exhaustion seeping into her bones. All she could do was cry, refusing to open her eyes only to see she was alone. Suddenly she heard the tiniest breath come from beside her. She struggled to open her eyes, and through her heavy lids, she saw he was whole and breathing, and looking straight at her.

"Ben."

"Rey."


	2. Plans and Insecurities

For a moment, all they can do is lay still, looking into each other's eyes for what seems an eternity. "You're here." Rey murmurs, Ben looks at her, equally as mesmerized by her as she is of him. 

"I am, but, why?" He asks, she looks at him, confused. "What do you mean, why?" She asks, already knowing what he means. "Why did you save me? You could have died, Rey. _Again_." The concern in his voice is almost comical.

She struggles to move onto her side, the exhaustion of her efforts still affecting her. "I wasn't going to let you die, Ben. You would have done the same. You _did_ do the same." She strokes his face as she had done what seems like so long ago. His breath quickens, and his cheeks go pink at her touch, "But, Rey, what now? I can't go back. I have nowhere to go. It would have been better if you had let me-" Rey puts her fingers to his lips.

"That's a lie. All of it. It's all lies what you said. You do have a place to go, Ben. As long as I am here, you have a home." Tears begin to appear in her eyes, and that sweet smile returns to his lips. Rey feels herself begin to cry, her words lighting something inside her that she thought was lost long ago, the feeling of true belonging.

"Join me, Ben. Be with me." She whispers, the words brushing past her lips and caressing his heart. His smile grows, and he chuckles, bringing a hand up to her face. "Stealing words, I see?" He asks jokingly, and Rey smiles at him. "It would seem so." She murmurs, and before either of them can fathom it, he lifts his head from the ground and goes to kiss her.

Before it can go any further though, the sound of hundreds of ships flying above them finally descends on their conscious. "We have to go, they need our help." Rey tries to push herself up as she speaks but finds she is still worn out from saving him. Ben sits up and puts his hand on her shoulder.

"Rey, stop, you need to take it easy right now. You've been through a lot." She stubbornly groans as she continues to stand up. "I can't just sit here while they're up there fighting, they need our help." Ben's heart pangs in a panic, how can she expect him to so easily team up with the Resistance? They'll probably kill him on sight. "Ben," She pulls him from his thoughts, knowing he's most likely spiraling inside his head. She settles on her knees beside him, "You're going to be okay." She takes his face in her hands once again, watching as his eyes go from fear to uncertainty. 

"They fear Kylo Ren, and he is dead. He is gone, I see that now as will they. You are Ben Solo, the son of their General." She strokes his face and watches as tears fill his eyes. He shakes his head, "People are not as forgiving as you make them out to be, Rey. I _was_ Kylo Ren, I committed those crimes. It was _me_." Rey shakes her head and brings her forehead to his.

"What matters is that you are now Ben, you always have been, you were just lost, but now you're back." She begins to cry once more, but a smile breaks out on her face amongst the tears. "You _are_ Ben, my Ben." Before she can utter another word, he presses his lips to hers, curling his hand around her slender neck. Her hands make their way from his face into his hair, gently twisting around the raven locks.

Ben pulls away but presses his nose to Rey's and that joyful smile returns. "My Rey." 

Rey smiles at him and begins to stand up, still struggling, but not as much as she had earlier. All of a sudden, the sound of a hundred bombs rings out around them. Rey looks up and sees that the Star Destroyers are being destroyed one by one by the Resistance. She smiles brightly, "They're doing it! They're destroying the fleet!" She laughs excitedly, relief rushing through her veins.

They watch, mesmerized, as star destroyers are turned into nothing but fire and crushed metal. There are barely any more TIE fighters to be seen, and the ones still flying are quickly shot down.

"Come, it's time for us to leave." She holds her hand out to Ben, and he laughs, "Now you're really copying me." He pulls himself onto his feet with Rey's help. But as soon as he does, he is reminded of his injuries from earlier. "Damn!" He hisses, his entire body seizing up in pain. "Careful!" Rey cries, struggling to keep herself on her feet while also helping him. "I'm okay, I'm okay, I think." Ben grunts, trying to steady himself on his wounded leg.

He and Rey lean against each other as they slowly make their way towards the entrance of the cave. Slowly but surely, they get back to their fighters, now realizing there is no real way for them to leave together.

"They're both single-seaters, aren't they?" Rey asks, but she already knows they are. "If I fly to a Resistance base in a TIE fighter, I'll be shot down for sure." Ben murmurs, resignation apparent in his voice. Rey looks at him, her face showing her uncertainty of the situation, "There has to be a ship up there with room for two that's willing to take us, but I can't leave Luke's X-Wing here." 

Ben snorts, "I'm surprised that piece of junk didn't explode the moment you went into hyperspace. And there is no way anyone still alive up there is willing to help out the former Supreme Leader." Rey looks at him pointedly, still trying to think of a solution. "We're going to have to take the two fighters, there's no other way. When we reach Ajan Kloss, just stay close to me, and I'll tell the base the situation before we land. And if they try anything, we'll think of another plan." Ben looks at her with doubt in his eyes, "Rey, I really don't think they'll allow a TIE fighter to enter their base, let alone the planet's orbit. This is a bad idea altogether, I should go to another plan-" 

He's interrupted by Rey kissing him once again, his cheeks burn, and he can't help the sound of surprise from leaving his lips. She pulls away and looks at him with such adoration in his eyes; it almost takes him to his knees. "I am not going anywhere without you, Solo. So stop thinking like that, because it's not going to happen. We will fly close to one another, and when it's time, I will tell them to lower any weapons."

She cups his face in her hand, "They _trust me_ . And they know I would never do anything to endanger them. So right now, Ben," She lifts up on her toes and puts her forehead to his, "I need _you_ to trust me." The corner of his mouth tilts up, and he cups her neck with his hand. "I trust you. I always will"

She breathes heavily and brushes over the lifted corner of his mouth with her thumb. "Good," She turns away from him to face the fighters, the pilot in her coming out, "Once we're in orbit of Exogol, put the coordinates in for Ajan Kloss. And once we leave hyperspace, stay close and follow me." They both know that this is extremely dangerous, but neither want to ruin the feeling of optimism flowing between them by saying anything negative.

They walk over to the TIE fighter, and Rey helps Ben into the ship. Neither say anything in that moment, for all they can do is look into each other's eyes; soaking in the last few seconds they have of peace.

Since they both know that as soon as they reach the base, all hell will break loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Thank you so much for reading 'Fine Line', I hope you're enjoying it so far! I just wanted to let you all know that I am currently in school (University). Therefore, school will be my number one priority when I go back after winter break (ends January 6). I will try to write as much as I can until then so I have chapters ready to publish. But basically all I'm saying is that frequent updates will most likely not be a reality, but I will try my best. Happy Holidays Everyone!


	3. Arrival and Explanation

As they exit hyperspace, Ben's anxiety shoots through the roof of the TIE fighter. Why did he agree to this? He should have just suggested they go to another planet, another galaxy, if possible. Besides, Mustafar is always lovely this time of year. 

"  _ Ben.  _ " Rey's voice breaks him from his thoughts. "Hopefully, we'll be descending within the next few minutes, so stay close." He can hear the trepidation clear in her voice. He gets closer to the X-Wing, so close he's able to see Rey's face.

Rey's heart is beating so fast; she's afraid it will explode. The whole way back to the base, she was praying it would go alright. She knows it's time, so she begins to call out to the base. "Hello, is anyone there? Does anyone copy? It's Rey. Can anyone hear me?" She continues calling out to the base; she knows they are there; she can sense Finn.

Finally, after the longest minute of her life, someone answers. "Rey?!" It's Poe, crap. She had been hoping someone less  _ affected _ by Kylo Ren's wrath would answer. 

"Poe, I need you to listen to me, and remember that you trust me, okay?" She knows Poe is already confused, "Wait, Rey, where are you? What's going on?" Oh, force here it goes. "I'm in orbit of Ajan Kloss, I need your help, and I need you to keep an open mind. Do I have your word?"

"Rey, what is going on? Are you alright?" She huffs in frustration, "Poe, I need your word!" "Alright, alright, you have my word, now what's going on?" She takes a deep breath, but before she can say anything, she hears a commotion on the comm.  _ "Sir, there's a TIE fighter on our radar!"  _ Crap. 

Ben can see Rey's face; she's in a panic. He fixes his comm so he can listen in, what is happening? 

Poe comes back on the comm after a minute, seriousness seeping in his voice, "Rey, are you in a TIE fighter?" She takes a moment to respond, "No, I'm not. And I'm not exactly alone. But I'm safe, and there is no threat! I need you to have faith in me, Poe. Please!" 

There's silence coming from the base. "Please, Poe, please trust me." She begins pleading with him, fear creeping up on her. 

Suddenly Finn is on the comm, "Rey, who, exactly, is with you?" She takes a deep breath; this is the moment she's been dreading, "Ben Solo. General Organa and Han Solo's son." 

She hears him take a sharp breath, "Rey, what the hell do you mean Ben Solo is with you? Do you really expect us to allow  _ him _ to land on this base? Have you lost your mind?" She knew this was going to be their reaction, but it still hurts.

"Finn, please. You can take him into custody, place him in jail, just let us land. Please, Finn, I'm begging you, trust me.  _ Please.  _ " She hears yelling from the other side of the comm, people clearly upset by the situation. No one responds to her for a long while; each second, both Rey and Ben become more paranoid. "Rey, you can land, both of you. But as soon as we see him, he's being put under arrest." 

"I'm alright with that," Ben says into his comm, smirking as soon as he hears the former stormtrooper go into a frenzy. "How long has he been listening to us, Rey?!" Rey looks over at him, anger showing clearly on her face. 

"I don't know Finn, but you heard him! He won't resist arrest. So can we please land now?!" Her frustration was beginning to show through her voice. "Oh, like I'm going to trust him!" Finn shouts, they hear him sigh, and Rey can almost see him rubbing his temples while Poe paces in the background. 

"Alright, Rey, we'll allow you to land, but I'm warning you, Ren. Try anything, and you'll be nothing but dust in two seconds flat. Got it?" Ben grimaces, being called Ren, isn't exactly warming to his heart. "I understand." Finn huffs and tells them where to land since there isn't exactly a landing strip at this base. 

Rey takes the lead, flying the X-Wing towards the base. Relief engulfs her heart; she was so scared they weren't going to allow them to land. They descend onto the moon, and the jungle is becoming more detailed as they get closer to the ground. By the time they are about to land, Ben can already see that nearly every resistance soldier has their weapons drawn, waiting. They both descend onto the base, Rey leaving the X-Wing before him. 

He can see her trying to calm the crowd, urging them to drop their weapons as he makes his way out of the TIE fighter. He slowly climbs out of the ship, his wounds still affecting him. Rey hurries to his side to help him stand straight. He can hear FN-2187- no, his name is Finn, yelling at Rey to move away from him. Despite Finn's yelling, Rey has Ben lean against her to keep his balance.

Before they can even start walking, they are surrounded by soldiers with blasters drawn and handcuffs at the ready. They try to push Rey aside and detain Ben. She resists and cries out, "He was badly injured; he needs help walking." They ignore her, and as soon as she is pulled away from Ben, he falls to the ground. He hisses in pain and feels the weight of handcuffs around his wrists. Two soldiers pull him up and start leading him away from the crowd.

Poe and Finn hold Rey back, and she starts screaming at them to let her go. Knowing they will not willingly let her go, she uses the force on them and rushes after Ben. "Wherever he goes, I go," she says in a tone that warns them not to say no to her. The soldiers begrudgingly nod, and they begin walking again, Rey alongside them. 

"Rey!" Finn yells, horrified at her friend's actions. What happened to her to all of a sudden be protective of Kylo Ren? He goes after her, Poe right behind him; both men determined to find out what the hell is going on. 

Once they reach the makeshift jail, Ben is placed in a cell, and Rey tries to go in with him. "I don't think so!" Finn protests and he grabs Rey by the waist and pulls her out of the cell. Ben reaches for her, but before he can even touch her, the cell door is closed and locked. 

"Finn, let go of me!" Rey shrieks, her nerves finally getting to her. Finn puts her down, frustration evident on his face. "What the  _ hell  _ is going on?!" Poe shouts, gesturing to Ben. Rey sighs and looks at Ben, wishing she could be in the cell with him. After all, that would be easier on her spirits than the conversation she's about to have. 

"I'll tell you everything, but you have to promise me no one will hurt him." She looks at the two men pointedly, watching as they look at each other, almost as if they're having a conversation with only their facial expressions. Poe shakes his head, and Finn sighs. "He will not be harmed. We'll make sure of it." Finn says the words come out strained as if it's hurting him to say them. It probably is. 

Rey smiles, "Thank you, truly. I know I am asking a lot of you of everyone." Poe rolls his eyes and guides her outside, "Yeah, yeah, just tell us what the hell is going on." Rey looks back at Ben and tells him with her eyes that she'll be back. He nods and crawls to sit in the corner of the cell. What else can he do, really? He does hope they'll have enough mercy to patch him up. 

Rey, Finn, and Poe walk out of the jail and sit down at a table nearby. Once they are settled, they see that nearly every soldier is watching them. Poe shoos them away with a look, and they all scatter. The two men look at Rey, expectantly. She sighs and begins her explanation, "Remember how I told you I had ended up on the Supremacy the day before the Battle of Crait? Well, in reality, I had gone  __ there willingly." Both Finn and Poe look at her extremely confused. 

Finn goes to ask a question, but Rey holds up her hand to stop him, "Let me explain. You see, I have a- a bond with Kylo- Ben, it was created when we first fought on Starkiller Base. The bond makes it so we can communicate through the force. At any given time, I can see him, and he can see me, even if we're on different planets." The men look horrified, so much so it's almost funny.

"Anyway, when I went to Ach-To to find Luke, that's when I first noticed we were connected somehow. I hated it at first; I thought he was a monster. But, over time, I found that he wasn't a monster at all. He was just, broken. So I went to the Supremacy to bring him back home to Leia and the Light side, I knew he was still Ben."

"You see, Palpatine was Snoke. He created Snoke to lure Ben to the Dark side from the time he was still in Leia's womb. He had no chance, none at all. But when I was on the Supremacy with him, something changed in him. He wasn't Kylo Ren. I know that much. But when I got there, he took me to Snoke. He wanted Ben to kill me to complete his training. But he didn't.  _ I  _ didn't kill Snoke; Ben did. After that, we fought against the Praetorian guards together."

Finn interrupts her, "Then why didn't he come back with you before when we were on Crait. He  _ led  _ the attack on the Resistance that day, Rey. He was Kylo Ren then, wasn't he?" 

Rey sighs, "After he killed Snoke, it was like the power almost made him drunk. He had killed his abuser, and I think it was almost too much for him. The Dark side has been the only thing he's known since he was a boy. But our bond was always there, even when he became the Supreme Leader. He wanted me to join him, to rule the galaxy with him, but I couldn't. But I did want to take his hand." Finn and Poe look at her, absolutely horrified.

" And I would have taken his hand, had Ben been the one to offer it." 

Finn looks almost nauseous, and Poe looks like he wants to punch something, or rather, someone. "Is that how you knew he was coming when we were on Pasaana?" Finn asks, and she nods, "Yes, I can see him when he's not there, I can sense when he's near. He can do the same with me, that's how we won today." Finn and Poe look at each other, confusedly, "What do you mean?" 

"You saw the lightning today, on Exogol, right?" Poe nods, "Yeah, it nearly wrecked my X-wing's system. Why?" 

"That was Palpatine," Rey says, watching as the realization shows on their faces. "I- I was fighting him, trying to strike him down." She bites her tongue, she knows she is lying to them, but she can't tell them about her lineage. Not today, at least. "Ben knew I was in trouble, so he came to help me. But before we could do anything, Palpatine was able to feed off our bond. It made Ben and I weak and pass out. When I woke up, Ben was gone, but I was able to take on Palpatine. It was like all the Jedi from the past came to my aid, and I was able to defeat him. But, when Palpatine was destroyed, I died."

Finn nods, "I felt it," Rey looks at him, "What do you mean?" Finn looks at them both, flustered. "I mean, like I could feel something was wrong like I knew you were in trouble, that's all." Poe shakes his head, "Wait, if you died, then, how the hell are you here right now?" He asks, and Rey smiles.

"Ben, he gave me his life force. He saved me. He sacrificed himself for me, but I was able to bring him back. Kylo Ren would not have saved me; he wouldn't save anyone. But Ben, he saved my life, and I saved his."

Poe shakes his head, rubbing his face with his hands, almost as if he was waking up from a nap. He begins rambling, "This, this is impossible, Rey! Did he like, twist your mind, or something?! What's gotten into you?! There's no way this is true! You would have told us if you had a bond with Kylo Ren! What is really going on?!" 

Rey rolls her eyes, "No, Poe I am not lying to you, I am telling you the truth, have I ever lied to you?" She watches as he gets up and begins to pace. "This is ridiculous! We have Kylo Ren not even thirty feet away, and we're listening to this bantha crap! We need to interrogate him! Find out what he knows and then get rid of him!" Rey stands up at this, starting to become angry. "Poe, I know this sounds crazy, but you have to believe me! I am telling you the truth!" Poe huffs and keeps pacing, "Rey, this just all sounds like a horribly written holovid! I'm not just going to sit here an-" 

"I believe you." Rey and Poe look back at Finn, astonished at his statement. Finn gets up and walks over to them, "I believe you, Rey, I've known for a while something was going on between you and Ren, but I didn't think it was like this." Poe looks horrified, "Finn! Don't tell me you're believing this crap!" Rey huffs and goes to hug Finn.

"Thank you, Finn, for believing in me. I know this all sounds insane, but you will see in him that I am telling the truth." Finn nods but says, "Don't think this means he'll be getting special treatment. I still have issues with him; we all do. And this doesn't mean that I like him or anything like that. And he still committed many crimes against this entire galaxy, against all of us on this base. I mean, the First Order is done, so we can't really use his knowledge to our advantage anymore, and that be his compensation to the galaxy. So, he won't be leaving that cell for a while."

Rey nods, "I know, but, as long as he lives and is safe, I'm okay with that. But, he was badly hurt, and he needs medical attention." Finn sighs, "I'll see if there's medical personnel willing to fix him up, but I can't promise anything." Rey smiles and hugs him again, "Thank you," She whispers, he hugs her back and looks over at Poe, who is still looking at them in shock. 

"Poe, come on, we're not forgiving him for his crimes, we're just keeping him alive. You can even put him on trial if you want." Finn says, slight humor in his voice. Poe huffs and puts his hands on his hips. 

"Fine, but I still believe this is all bantha shit." He snaps, and he walks away, angrily muttering to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Happy Holidays to everyone celebrating!


	4. Healing and Thoughts

They had not been gone for a long time, but he was still starting to get nervous. But really, what could he expect? He had been the leader of the First Order, they were never going to welcome him with open arms. The thought of the ex-stormtrooper welcoming him into the Resistance with no hesitation makes him chuckle. 

"And what's so funny, Ren?" The guard barks at him with a cold sneer on his face. He says nothing back, not wanting to worsen the situation. 

He wishes Rey would come back, but it wouldn't really help anything but calming his nerves. He strains his neck to look outside the tiny window in the cell. He's surprised they even gave him a cot to sleep on, let alone a window. He surveys the small base, watching as the people try to go about their business. He can only assume that it would be hard to do so, what with the feared Kylo Ren right under their noses with his head still intact. 

A part of him wishes he could see Chewbacca, or just one familiar face, but no, that'd only bring more shame to him. Chewbacca still hates him, and he doesn't blame him. Of course, he did reconcile with his father, but no one here knew that. Not even Rey knew. Kriff, not even Rey knew! He turns away from the window, not wanting to risk the chance of irritating the guard. After all, he's the one with the blaster. Sure, he could easily stop his blaster shots, but he has a feeling that using the force would not be in his interest at the moment. 

Suddenly he hears the prison doors open, could it be Rey? No, he doesn't feel her force signature get any stronger. 

It's a woman with graying brown hair and a face of determination, holding a bag of medical supplies. He watches as the woman walks up to the guard and whispers in his ear. Whatever the woman says, it leaves the guard looking angry. The guard marches over to the cell door and opens it enough for the woman to enter, but before she can even move, the guard is in his face. 

"Make one wrong move, and you're dead, Ren. Got it?" Ben nods his head, wishing the guard would stop breathing his hot, bantha poodoo smelling breath in his face. 

The guard makes way for the woman, and she slowly makes her way towards him. "The General asked me to patch up your wounds." She says as she opens her bag. The General? What General? He knows his mother is- no, he won't say it, he can't say it. But did they really choose a new leader that quickly? He can't really blame them, they were in the middle of a war. They couldn't exactly go on without some type of leadership. But still, to think of his mother be replaced so quickly leaves a bad taste in his mouth. Force, he's such a hypocrite. 

Trying to take his mind off of his mother, he peers into the bag, noticing the near emptiness of it. Force, how the hell have these people survived for so long? 

"Where are you hurt?" She asks, the formality in her voice seems almost strained. "My back and my leg, mostly. There are superficial cuts, but just leave those." He murmurs, the woman nearly startles him when she starts to cut one of the legs of his pants open. He tries to move away, but the woman admonishes him. 

"Don't move, or I could cut you. I have other clothes for you, now stop moving, Solo." Solo? Did she just call him Solo? "Did- Did you just call me-" 

"Yes, I did, Rey made it clear that you're not Kylo Ren anymore. And I trust her with every fiber of my being, even if some people are more stubborn than others." She looks back to the guard with a shake of her head. "Why are you helping me, though? For nearly the last decade, my goal was to destroy you." He stutters, shock still coursing through his veins. 

The woman grimaces as she begins to spread bacta gel over his leg. "I know, but," She looks up at him, and the kindness in her eyes startles him. "I was friends with your mother." That takes him aback. He had obviously been thinking of his mother ever since he got here, but to have her brought up to him by another person, it makes his heart hurt even more. He looks away, not wanting this woman to see his tears. 

The woman begins to wrap a bandage around his leg. "It was so rare for things to be quiet around here, but when they were, we would sit and drink tea and talk about our boys. She had so many stories about you, as I did with my son. She used to show me old holos of you as a child, no matter where we went in the galaxy, she always had that tiny cluster of holos with her. She never lost faith in you, even when she felt she had to." That makes the first teardrop from his eyes, hearing of her, after not wanting to even accept she was his mother for so long, it's almost too much. 

The woman gets closer to him, she cuts away his tunic from his body and wipes away the dirt and blood from his skin with a cloth. "It's funny, those old holos must be from twenty years ago, but you still look the same." Another tear falls, force he hates this. He despises showing emotion to anyone, well, besides anger, but that's a powerful feeling. Sorrow, on the other hand, is just that, sorrow. 

The woman turns his face, so he's forced to look at her. She has the kind eyes of a mother. Just like his own mother does in all of his memories of her. "She loved you, very much, Ben. Even at the end, she loved you." 

"Why are you doing this? I was Kylo Ren, I tried to destroy the Resistance, and yet here you are, dressing my wounds as if I was your child" She sighs, wringing the cloth into her small bowl of water. "Because if Leia was here, she would be doing the same. And even if it was the other way around, she would be doing the same for my boy." She's right, his mother would certainly be here, even if her outward demeanor didn't seem like the motherly type, she'd be here. He just wishes he had realized this when he was younger. 

"What's your name?" He whispers, not wanting to draw the guard's attention more than they already have. She smiles, finishing up swiping a bacta soaked cloth over his cuts and bruises "Harter Kalonia, but you may call me Hart." She finishes covering his back with bacta and wrapping cloth tight around him.

"There, you'll be fine soon enough." She pulls out a pair of pants and a tunic from the bag, "Here are some clothes for when you're ready to dress, but give the bacta at least an hour to soak into your skin." He hesitates at first, but before she leaves the cell, he murmurs, "Thank you." She turns back towards him and smiles. With that, she packs up her things and leaves, leaving him alone with a million thoughts and Resistance issued clothes. 

In the next twenty minutes, he had somehow managed to get dressed and pull himself onto the cot. He was beginning to truly be worried about Rey, she had been gone for nearly two hours. And knowing her, if she had it her way, she'd be here with him already. But he knows she can take care of herself, she's shown him that time and time again. 

For some reason, they have not been able to connect through the force, perhaps their connections were indeed at random as he had suspected so long ago. As if she had heard his thoughts, he can feel her signature getting closer. 

He watches as the guard hurries over to the entrance of the prison to keep Rey away. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I can't let you through." He hears the guard say, but as soon as the words leave his mouth, they are met with a fierce verbal lashing from Rey. 

"Leryn, I know for a fact Finn has commed you ordering you to let me in when I get here. So let me in, or else you will be dealt with by both of the Generals for ignoring their order." 

The guard, Leryn, snorts, "Yeah, Poe is going to tell me what's what for ignoring orders. You and I both know he won't care. Especially in this circumstance. So if I were you, I'd listen and leave. Try again tomorrow, perhaps?" Leryn has clearly never dealt with Rey before, if he had, he definitely would not be talking down to her. 

Ben struggles to get up from the cot but makes his way to the bars of his cell. He lays eyes on Rey, and she immediately notices him. Her eyes soften, and Leryn must notice because he turns around and sees Ben at the bars. He marches over to the cell, "Get back in bed, Ren! You're lucky I haven't wrung your neck yet, but now you're really pushing it!" Ben notes that this guard can't be much older than twenty. He's a very tall, stringy looking thing, and he almost reminds Ben of himself when he was thirteen. 

Before Ben can even move away from the bars, Leryn pulls out his blaster, presses it to Ben's skin, and shocks him. If it had been any other time, the force of the shock wouldn't have even made Ben bend at the waist, but in his weakened state, he falls to the floor as the electric waves from the stun set course through his body. 

He hears Rey yell, and before he can comprehend it, Leryn is also on the ground, holding his stomach, having just been round kicked by Rey. The cell door opens, and Rey goes to her knees in front of Ben. "Ben! Ben, are you alright?" She takes his face in her hands and caresses his cheekbones. "I'm fine." He grunts, struggling to get up from the floor. "Don't move, you're already hurt as it is." Rey chirps, moving, so his head is in her lap. 

"I said I'm fine, Rey, I'm just weak." He tries to crack a smile, but all that comes out is a ragged cough. Rey places one of her hands over his chest, a look of worry spreading over her face. Suddenly footsteps are running into the jail. "Rey! What happened!" Ah, it's Fn-218- no, no, it's Finn, just Finn. Force, is that going to be hard to remember. 

"I'm fine! Your guard tried to not let me in, and when he saw Ben watching, he ran over and stunned him! You told him to let me through, didn't you?" Rey's voice is hurt, and Ben wants to take away that hurt. He looks up at Finn and sees he's been accompanied by what seems to be fifteen guards. 

"I-I did! But you know Leryn, he's a goddamned hothead!" Finn looks back at the others who are helping Leryn up from the ground. "Take him to his quarters and don't let him out 'til breakfast. Crane, you're going to be the new prison guard, understood?" The man Ben can only guess is Crane nods his head and takes the blaster from Leryn's holster. 

Rey gets onto her knees and asks Finn to help her get him up, force this is so embarrassing. He was the most feared man in the galaxy, and now he's being helped up by the ex-stormtrooper. Finn gets him onto the cot, and Rey bends down to his level. "You alright?" She asks, moving his hair away from his face. 

"I'm fine." Sure his ego has taken a significant hit, but with Rey touching him like this, how horrible can he feel? She turns away from him and looks at Finn. "I'm going to sleep in here with him, and I'm not taking no for an answer, Finn." The authority in her voice immediately makes Ben think of his mother, and he knows Rey could only have learned this tactic from Leia Organa. 

Finn looks greatly conflicted, and after what seems like an eternity, he nods his head. "Poe's not going to like this." Finn murmurs, and Rey gets up and hugs him. "He doesn't have to like it or agree to it, 50/50 power, remember?" 50/50 power?

Are both the pilot and the ex-stormtrooper Generals of the Resistance? How in the hell does that work, he wonders? He knows if there were two high commanding generals in the First Order, there would be more chaos than progress. He thinks of all the things that could have gone wrong if he had ordered both General Hux and General Pryde to be controlling Generals at the same time.

Suddenly he's taken from his thoughts when Rey slides in next to him in the cot. He lifts his head and sees that everyone has left, even the guard isn't in front of the cell. "This alright?" She asks, trepidation clear in her voice. He pulls her close to her "Of course it is, sweetheart." He feels her relax, and she puts her hand over his heart. 

"They're going to bring us dinner soon, but I just want to be with you for a while." She says, almost instinctually rubbing her hand over his chest. They stay quiet until Rey lifts up onto her elbow and looks over him.

"How did you like Dr. Kalonia?" The question makes Ben's heart twinge, and he somehow shows it on his face because Rey asks him in a worried tone, "What happened?" He looks into her eyes, those beautiful hazel eyes that he wishes he could fall into and never return. "She was friends with my mother." Rey's face falls, and she puts her head back down. 

"I'm sorry, I thought that it would be a good thing." Ben shakes his head, "No, no, it was a good thing, I think. It's just, I've been thinking of her ever since I got here, and to hear a stranger talk of her so fondly," He looks up at the ceiling, his throat getting tight. "It makes me realize how much I have lost." Rey somehow moves closer to him, and it almost feels like they could fold into one another. 

"I'm sorry, Ben. I'm so sorry." She whispers this makes him sit straight up, confusion searing into his brain. What does she have to be sorry for? "What do you mean?" She sits up as well. "I'm sorry for the Death Star, it was like, I was possessed by the Darkside. I couldn't control it. But then I felt her," Rey's voice cracks, and she leans her head against his shoulder. 

"And then I hurt you. I have never felt so disgusted with myself than I did at that moment. I immediately knew I had been in the wrong. You weren't even attacking me, for the most part, at least." He snorts, he remembers how irritated he was, he hadn't wanted to fight. He had just wanted her.

"I think we both hurt each other enough for a lifetime, Rey." He murmurs, and she grimaces, and all of the memories flood back to him. The forest on Takodana, all of his actions on Star Destroyer. Quite honestly, he doesn't think he'll ever forgive himself for hurting her the way he did. If only he could go back in time, there's so much he would fix. But he would never change the fact that he met Rey. He was meant to find Rey.

He lays back down and pulls her to him, needing to feel her close to him. Her back is pressed against his, and he presses a kiss to the back of her neck. She sighs a happy sigh she nestles into him and sighs. "Let's just promise to never hurt each other again." She whispers, and he smiles. "Okay, Rey, okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! So sorry this chapter took so long! College level chemistry is a life sucker, especially if you're taking it in a six week time period. I hope to get a new chapter out soon, thanks again!


	5. Yearning and Declarations

The dinner brought to them was subpar at best. Ben isn't surprised by this, seeing that he is a prisoner. That is until Rey tells him that is what everyone is eating on base. Even after this revelation, he's still surprised he's being fed at all. 

The food is as bland as can be, and at that moment, he'd kill for some bantha tartare— what a lousy word choice. Rey, on the other hand, is eating the quick bread and mystery stew like it's going to be taken away from her. And he realizes that in her mind, it is.

"Rey," She pauses for a second, her eyes wide and alert, cheeks full of stew and bread. She gulps and wipes her mouth with her hand, and if it were anyone else, he'd gag. "What's wrong?" She asks, bringing a giant spoonful to her mouth. He tries not to make a face; this woman is his soulmate for Force's sake! Why is her eating bothering him so? 

But still, he can feel the royalty in his blood scream to be noticed, all the lessons on manners and poise he endured as a boy rushing to his mind. 

"N-Nothing." He mutters, she looks at him inquisitively, as if she knows he's holding his tongue. "You sure?" She asks, almost as is she wasn't asking a question, more so stating it. He nods his head and rips off another piece of nearly stale bread. 

After dinner, they lay back down together. Ben almost wishes they could go for a walk together around the jungle grounds. But he knows that won't be possible for quite some time, possibly ever. 

That makes him think, and before he realizes it, the words are coming out of his mouth, "What do you think happens next?" He asks her, hating that he sounds almost like a child. Rey turns in the bed to face him, and her hand immediately goes to his cheek, tenderly caressing it. 

"I don't know. I mean, we only just defeated the First Order. I did hear plans of going to Naboo since the remaining members of the senate are there. They would probably put you on trial, keep you as a prisoner of war." Her face falls, and he can see the sadness in her eyes. 

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," She whispers, and he can see the sadness in her eyes. He pulls her to him, and she nestles her cheek into the curve of his chest.

"I should have just taken you to a system in the outer rim. Somewhere where no one would find us," She looks up at him, and his heart shatters from the sight of her tear-stained face. "We could have learned more about each other," Her cheeks blush, and he barely hears her when she says, "We could have built a life."

Force, the thought of building a life with Rey makes his chest hurt in yearning. He remembers the months after the battle of Crait; he still knew so little of Rey, and yet, building a life with her was all he could think about. 

Rey's worried eyes pull him from his thoughts, "Unless, that isn't what you want." She murmurs, trepidation evident in her voice. "No, no, I do! Rey, my love, it's all I've ever wanted," Her eyes widen, and he realizes as soon as the words leave his mouth, he called her his love, kriff. But quite honestly, he's always thought of her as his love. Even when he was acting like a spoiled infant.

"Y-Your love? You- you love me?" Her voice is small, and he prays it isn't out of disgust. He had hoped this conversation would grace them at a later time, but he knows very well that words cannot be unsaid, especially words of such power. 

"Yes, Rey, of course, I always have." He hopes she feels the same, oh Force, he prays she feels the same. Please don't let him have shown his most vulnerable feelings only for them not to be reciprocated. 

Thankfully, she smiles and presses her lips to his, placing a sweet kiss. "I love you too, Ben. Or at least, I think I do, I never really felt loved before, so I don't really know how to reciprocate the feeling." He frowns, wanting nothing more than to show his love and adoration for her, so she can feel what he painfully wishes she had in the past. 

His childhood had not been the best, nor had it been the worst, but at least he felt loved when he was a small boy. She sits up, curiosity peaking in her voice, "Tell me what it feels like, love? For you, at least, what does it make you feel?" He smiles a sad smile, unsure of how to go about this, "I'm not an expert in any way, but my love for you stems from so many feelings." 

"Like what?" She asks, laying back down next to him. "Well, when I look at you, I see the most beautiful creature in the galaxy, and that brings on a sense of adoration. And I don't just mean looks, I mean, you are so strong, and you've shown time and time again that you can fend for yourself." She chuckles at that, he looks down at her and brushes a stray hair away from her face. 

"And you are so good, Rey, you are like a star in the galaxy, you shine so brightly no dark would dare enter. For that, I feel grateful that you are in my life. You are the only person who makes me feel like I can be, or even want to be a good person. You made me want to change the path I was going down. And I did, because of you." 

Tears are streaming down Rey's face, but the sweetest smile is gracing her lips, and he knows they are happy tears she is shedding, so he goes on. "Another feeling is that- there is no doubt in my mind that I would do anything for you. I would die for you time and time again, with no hesitation or regret. When I look at you, I see my future, I see a home we built with our own hands. I see children." He chokes out that last part, knowing it is far too soon to be thinking of children.

"Even if they want to imprison me for the rest of my life or kill me on the spot, I will always have that dream with me," Rey gasps and covers her mouth, shaking her head. "Don't say that," She sobs, "Never say that, I won't let them touch you." 

She looks up at him, awe in her eyes. "I do love you, Ben. I mean, I think I do better than I did before but," She takes his face between her hands like she did on Exegol, "I feel the same for you, I knew that if I wasn't able to save you, I would have chosen to die trying." No! Rey must never die! She can't! 

"No, Rey, you mustn't think like that." He whispers, wrapping her in his arms, wishing he could shield her from all the evils in the galaxy. "Why not? You just told me that you think like that." She isn't lying, but it's different. He hasn't done any good for the galaxy, while she was able to defeat Palpatine on her own. He wants to be a good person, but his track record as of yet is a far cry from simple decency. "And Ben, let's not forget that you already have sacrificed yourself for me. I was barely able to save you. Did you really think my life would be so fantastic without you in it? I love you." 

He sighs, reliving that painful moment in his head, "In that moment, I wasn't really thinking of anything besides saving you. The galaxy would be much dimmer if you were to die, Rey. Without me living, the world would only become a better place." He can feel her shake her head against his chest.

"No, no, you are good, Ben. I told you on the Supremacy, I felt the conflict in you. Kylo Ren was the evil in you, he was the darkness. But now he's gone. And all that's left is the man I love. You just told me, you want to be a good person, and now you can be, nothing is holding you back." Her face shows her clear adoration, and he wonders what he ever did to become so lucky as to have someone as beautiful as Rey love him. 

"Well, let's not forget where we are at the moment," He teases, trying to steer away from their conversation of life and death. The whole thing makes his soul hurt, and he does not wish to fall asleep tonight with a heavy heart. Thankfully Rey chuckles, but it's a dismal laugh at best. 

"Finn and Poe appointed a council tonight, so tomorrow, I'm meeting with them to discuss things. I'm hoping they will let us go if we swear to stay on a planet on the outer rim. That way, we can be together, and they don't have to fear for the worst, or even suspect." The idea is hopeful, but he doesn't see it working. 

They will want to take him to Naboo, declare him a prisoner of war, and barely keep him alive as a symbol of some sort. But even that is wishful thinking. The reality is that they are most likely already planning his execution. 

"I guess we will find out tomorrow," He murmurs, the exhaustion finally wrapping around his senses. "Tomorrow," Rey whispers, but she is still alert, her mind refusing to forget that her soulmate could die soon, and there's virtually nothing she would be able to do about it without hurting anyone.

Rey wakes up before Ben, having been awakened by the sun beaming into the small window. As soon as she is aware of where she is, she almost feels she could melt. Sleeping with Ben so close was a surreal experience in itself. 

Though she struggled to fall asleep, as soon as she did, she more at peace than she had ever been. She looks over at Ben, and adoration floods her heart. He looks so peaceful, she can almost see what he looked like as a boy.

She can't help herself and brushes her thumb over the curve of his mouth, watching as his upper lip twitches. She smiles and places a kiss in the corner of his mouth before rising from the cot to stretch.

Right as she's about to leave the cell to see about breakfast, she hears Ben groan. She looks back to see him patting the cot, looking for her. He opens his eyes and his brows immediately furrow when he realizes she's not next to him. 

"I'll be back, go back to sleep." She whispers, walking back to the cot to greet him. As soon as she's close enough, he grabs onto her waist and pulls her to him. She lets out a laugh as she falls back onto the bed.

Ben immediately wraps his arms around her, capturing her. He goes to wrap his leg around her but instantly regrets it when a sharp pain shoots up his leg. He lets out a gasp of pain, and Rey is alert in a flash. 

"What is it? Is it your leg?" Ben can only nod his head, the pain still radiating to his spine. "I'm going to go find Dr. Kalonia, she might have something to help you." She goes to get up, but Ben grabs her hand to stop her. "No! I'm fine, The bacta just hasn't taken full effect yet." He rolls onto his back and lets out a puff of air. 

"Ben, it's not fine. If you need help, let people help you." Force, this man can be so irritating. "Rey, I'm shocked they even gave me bacta and some bandages. I'm not worsening my chances of being with you for more pain medication." She didn't think of that, knowing Poe and the rest of the base, they're not going to be keen on giving any more supplies to their former enemy. And she doesn't want to jeopardize their chance of being together any more than she already has. 

"Fine, but if it gets worse, I'm getting Dr. Kalonia." She says with a determined tone, but her heart immediately softens when he rubs his thumb over her hand. "I'm going to go get some breakfast for us, then I have to go talk to Finn and Poe about their plans." She squeezes his hand and whispers, "Rest, I'll be back." 

When she leaves the jail, all eyes are immediately on her. She almost feels like a spectacle, that is until Finn runs up to her. "Rey! Good, you're up." He goes to hug her, but she sees hesitation in his eyes. She gives him a quick hug and begins to walk with him, still feeling everyone's eyes on her.

Once they get to the outdoor mess hall, Rey can't wait any longer. "We need to talk, Finn," She stops and turns to look at him, "Can we go somewhere private to talk?" Finn looks around, almost nervous, "Can't we do this after we eat?" He asks, his voice in a hushed tone, but she shakes her head and walks towards the falcon, a place where no one would dare enter without her or Chewie's permission.

"Rey, wait!" Finn calls for her, but she doesn't stop. He huffs and begins to follow her, trying to ignore all the stares they're getting. 

Once they're both in the Falcon, Rey looks around for Chewie, and after not finding a trace of him, she closes the boarding ramp. She turns around and looks at Finn, her heart clenches, knowing she does not want to choose between her friends and her soulmate. 

Before she can back out, she puts her hands on her hips and says, "I want to take Ben to the outer rim, somewhere were you, and everyone else feels safe, but we could live in peace." 

Finn looks aghast, and she knows he thinks she's crazy. "Rey- I mean- you're asking a lot, you know that, right?" She sighs, but she knew this would not be an easy conversation. "I know I am, but Finn, he's my soulmate, you can't ask me to be apart from him more than I already have been." 

Finn frowns and looks at the ground, "How can you be so sure, Rey? I can tell he's changed, but I can't persuade everyone to believe me, and neither can you. I can't potentially put the entire galaxy in danger by letting him go. You know that." 

"Finn, please, you just said yourself, you can feel the change in him. I told you yesterday I would have taken his hand had he changed, but I didn't. Now he has, Finn. I would never put the Resistance in danger because of how I feel for him. I'm telling you he has changed. But if you take him to Naboo, and they put him in prison, they may as well take me too." 

Finn rubs his temples in frustration, what happened to his friend that hated Kylo Ren to her core? 

"That isn't realistic, and you know it, Rey. Even if he has changed, he was the Supreme Leader. He killed thousands, maybe even millions. He took part in ruining the galaxy, and no one is going to forget that so easily as you. We are taking him to Naboo, where the Resistance and the Senate will decide what to do with him. I cannot let him go just because I care for you, Rey. And it isn't fair of you to ask so much of me, Rey."

Tears form in her eyes, and she seems to have lost count how many times she has cried in the last day.

Finn continues, his voice rising in volume, "Do you know how much it took for me to allow him to even land on this base? So many wanted to kill him then and there, but I stopped them because I care about you. I had Dr. Kalonia look over him, he was given a bed. Food! Do you really think you're in the position to ask for more?" 

Rey looks down at the floor, tears falling onto the steel floor of the falcon. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." She looks up at him, and his face immediately softens at the sight of her pained features. "I'm sorry," She whispers, she wipes her tears and turns to open the falcon's boarding ramp. 

Before the ramp is fully down, she exits the falcon, avoiding everyone's stares. She looks towards the jail but instead heads straight for the empty forest, needing to be alone.


End file.
